OB Wagon, ANR Grey/Red (Set of 2)

SOLD OUT!

OR140

AOGA Wagon, AN Green/Yellow (Set of 2)

SOLD OUT!

OR141

AOGA Wagon, AN Green/Yellow (Set of 2)

Prefabricated Doors, Cast Frame Bogies

SOLD OUT!

A Guide To Detail Parts

Air hoses and tarp supports are packed separately with every wagon to avoid damage in transit.

The air hoses are inserted into the square hole on the underside at either end, as shown in the photo above. Use your fingernail or a
small screwdriver to push them firmly into place. We recommend a small amount of white glue to keep them permanently attached. Tarp
supports are designed to be removable, the end ones simply clip into place while the centre four are inserted into the existing holes.

Additional parts included with the OX wagons are as follows:Bearing Caps - optional. Can be fitted over the bearings on the bogiesSteps - can be attached to the side of the wagon. Some OX wagons had no steps, some had only one below
the centre panel,while others also had one below the door. See the photos above for the positioning.

A Short History of the OB Wagon

The OB was one of the most ubiquitous wagons seen throughout the broad gauge network of South Australia carting bulk products like
wheat and other grains, fertilisers, or soda ash later in its life. The OB was rebuilt from the Webb Era bogie open wagon, the O: 600
of the O wagons were built by American Car & Foundry Co for the S.A.R. in 1925 for general traffic (back then most wheat was carted in
bags), and another 250 were built with almost identical details at the Islington workshops in 1928 and 1954.

In about 1965 the need for larger numbers of bulk goods wagons became evident and it was decided to rebuild most O wagons into OB’s.
The wagons were reconstructed and new doors were manufactured with improved hinges and seals. To distinguish wagons with sealed doors
the doors were painted red, still on a grey body and white lettering on a black data panel. An interesting detail are the missing indents
on the door edges (horizontal and vertical indents), even though these are shown in the design drawings. The last 150 or so (running
numbers over #400?) being rebuilt were fitted with different doors (’prefabricated’ or ‘steel doors’) without indents, but steel bars,
which prevented some of the denting of the earlier doors. 550 wagons were rebuilt in total and formed one of the largest class of wagons
of the S.A.R.

Trains consisted often solely of OB’s, sometimes interspersed with OBf’s (the 2 axle variant), hauled all too often by 830 diesel
locomotives, but seen as well with much bigger traction power. When the S.A.R. was replaced by the ANR in 1978 little changed initially
except the logo, but after 1979 the OB wagons received the standardised Australian 4 letter code (AOGA, AOGF in most cases, depending
on the bogies). Most kept their grey body colour until ANR became AN, when quite a few received the striking green and gold scheme.
Many wagons survived in service well into the 80’s, and some were even still in use in the early 90’s!

Today a few have survived in more or less respectable conditions with Steam Ranger, the National Museum in Port Adelaide and probably
on some farms or forgotten on country stations.